Kilimanjaro: Notes on a trip to the roof of Africa

by Ric from Oregon

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Day Four, Tanzania, 2/13/02

Today we leave Kenya for the Tanzania border. For the first time it is obvious to me why anyone, like the colonial British, would Day Four, Tanzania, 2/13/02

Today we leave Kenya for the Tanzania border. For the first time it is obvious to me why anyone, like the colonial British, would come all the way here from rainy London and then never want to leave. Lovely tropical morning. Drove across town and out across Masai tribal land. Many cattle and goats. Saw Burros and Camels, domesticated for tribal nomadic life. More rolling hills and greener the further we go. Spent the night in Arusha hotel, after thunderstorm has knocked out the power. Had dinner and went to bed by candle light Had two mosquito attacks in the night, think I smacked them both. Closed window and took malaria pill in the morning. About 5am the local Muslims started their chant for the call to prayer over a loud speaker, then about 6am the Christian bells started and then we arose to the chanting of the local chapter of some eastern philosophy, (Buddhist?). Very religious neighborhood.

Day Five, Marangu Gate, 2/14/02

The power is still off in the hotel. Shaved, for the last time, by flashlight. Went over our gear and left baggage that we did not want to take up the hill. Load up and head for the Marangu Gate. We get our gear ready while our guide Peter organizes his porters. The porters have their loads weighed, and entered into a logbook. They get paid based on the load they carry. No one may carry more than 15 kilos (33lbs.) We had to sign in at the office, give passport number, etc, very controlled. We four had a group circle hug and agreed to be helpful, positive, and work together.

We began about 10am. We took the side trail, to the left, to see the waterfall. About 45 minutes up the trail while we stopped to look for monkeys, it started to rain. Since this is the dry season we thought it would be a short rain. It poured, and poured. I used my umbrella and by the time we decided we needed all our rain gear we were soaked. Over an inch per hour for 4 ½ hours. We skipped lunch, had a candy bar and pushed on. We finally arrived at Mandara Hut about 3pm and got a hut for 4, all together. Got dry as possible and lunch. Kurt has discovered his camera floating in four inches of water at the bottom of his daypack, ruined he thinks.

The huts are A-frame wood buildings with sheet metal roofs. Our 4-person size room has three bunks on the floor and one "upper" bunk on the back wall, mattresses and pillows provided. The guys take the floor and Chris has the upper. Heard from Peter later that a German blond lady, we see sometimes on the trail, had come in wet from the downpour. She came into the main dining hut and stripped down to her panties in the middle of the crowd to change into dry clothes. Caused quite a stir.

Mandara hut is at 9,000 feet. First hut was built here in 1898 by the Germans. Latrine facility is an actual flush porcelain unit. Much graffiti on the walls and I note the very Irish name of Bosco McShane. I promise myself that if I ever write a detective novel the hero will be named Bosco McShane.

Day Six. Mandara Hut. 2/15/02

Start out working up toward Homboro Hut at 12,200 feet. We pass many people coming down who had summited the day before. Some look pretty beat, two in stretchers. Japanese man being carried down. We were in rain forest yesterday and now it has become moors, dry grasslands, and unusual plants. Made Homboro hut at 2:45, got assigned to our hut, had a snack, then nap and supper. Chicken and rice, and soup. Although crew does a great job of cooking a very nice meal, with the exception of Dan, our appetites are failing. Knowing that they carried every morsel up the mountain, we try to eat, or at least push it around on our plate a little.

Day Seven, Horombo Hut, 2/16/02

We will stay here for two nights to get used to the altitude. Slept well last night, asleep at 9:45. Slept thru ‘til 3:45, and had to make run to the comfort station. (not as nice as the Bosco McShane memorial latrine) Slept little off and on ‘til 6ish. Kurt slept 9 hours straight. Taking diamox for prevention of altitude illness. No problems yet. Took training hike up to viewpoint at 14,200 to see Mawenzi peak, which is the secondary peak off to the east. It is supposed to help with the acclimation process to take a day hike high and then to sleep low. On the way back once again it started to rain, then hail. Suited up, no problem.

Day Eight, to Kibo Hut, 2/17/02

It's hard to leave the comfort of the hut after two nights here. We know the next 48 hours will be tough. Noticed that coffee was not on the breakfast table this morning. Peter says, "no coffee" from here on up. We get the idea that he has done this before. (his 507th climb) We head out for Kibo Hut at 15,500 feet. Somewhat nervous, know you'll be hurting yourself for the next couple of days.

Kibo Hut had been visible from the Mawenzi viewpoint yesterday, and it looked to be WAY up there. Out on to the saddle, nothing but desert and sand and rock. Peter says to keep ears covered, as the cold wind will give you headache. Longer distance than they say. Stop for snack break in the rocks, just before left turn up to the hut. Very bleak area, clouds on the peak.

Hut has one dining area, and about 5 or 6 sleeping rooms full of bunk beds. We get a room with about 10 Germans, one of whom is the Big Blond. Kurt, Dan and I take turns on watch in case she decides to change clothes in public again. No luck. Chris is ill, she cannot take diamox, due to being allergic. I take my last pill at lunch. It starts to snow, almost white out conditions. We get to bed at 6pm and must be up and ready to summit at midnight! (must summit in the early morning to get a clear view, and must not be caught on top when afternoon storms roll in)

Day Nine, Kibo Hut to the Summit, 2/18/02

We got maybe 3 hours sleep, in bed at 6pm, but Germans are messing around with their gear, making noise until 7:15pm or so. They finally hush. People are up making noise about 11:10 or so, up we get. Multiple layers on, hats, mitts, down parka. Scared, slight nausea took pepto bismal pill. Snow has stopped, couple inches on the ground. Headlamps on, ready to go at about 12:03am. Book says it's the distance of nine Empire State Buildings from here to the top. Can see the lights of several crews ahead of us higher up the slope. Ass't guide Dismas leads, Kurt and Dan and then Chris. I am last with Peter. Very disorienting, spotlight on the snow leaves you no perspective, sort of a tunnel vision. I find I'm too hot, take off down layer. Fingers of right hand go numb for a while, normal for diamox.

Can see other team's headlights up ahead, almost straight up. Stars are out and very bright, notice that the North Star is not visible as we are south of the equator. Steep switchback trail, scree, sand, rocks. Very aware that I have to go up for 6 hours, when the sun comes up, should be at the top. Peter and I are probably 15 minutes or so behind the others. I use Peter's ice axe to dig a cat hole off to the side, relieve the cramps. About 2 hours up we stop for rest in Hans Meyer Cave. Eat candy bar, tastes like dirt. Only 10 minutes, feet are cold. Back to the climb.

With lack of oxygen, it's hard to climb fast enough to keep warm. Any change in breathing rhythm, taking a drink or speaking makes me out of breath. Try to keep my mind concentrated, but Peter keeps singing, very distracting. Glare on the snow is very tiring to my eyes. Realize that when I close my eyes for a moment to rest them from the glare I fall asleep, right on my feet. Happens several times.

Dismas calls down to us. Chris is sick; she waits on us to catch up to her. I thought she would have felt better if she had not tried to keep up with them. She thought Peter and I were right behind her; didn't realize her pace was so fast. We climb up to her and Kurt, Dan and Dismas go on ahead. We move slowly. I am now taking two and sometimes three breaths per step. I think it's maybe 10 degrees F. Peter says he thinks maybe 0 degrees F. Water bottles are freezing. Chris has to throw up a couple of times. I get ahead of them by 10 minutes or so. Sky is getting light in the east and I know we are getting close. Trail ends near top and have to scramble over rocks at the lip. Suddenly over, and looking down a few feet at a sign that says, "Gilman's Point". Wow! Lots of Germans and Norwegians around taking pictures. I wait on Chris to come up. Sun coming up now. Kurt and Dan have gone on ahead to the summit at Uhuru Peak, probably another 1-½ hours. Chris and Peter come up and we take pictures. Looks like most everyone else is going back down after making Gilman's Point. (on the rim of the crater, but not the high point.)

We start out moving clockwise around the rim trail. We know we've got it now, there's only about another 900 feet of vertical distance to go. We meet Kurt and Dan coming down and get pictures of the "gang of four" near the summit. Continue on. Close to glaciers, some hundreds of feet high. Can see down the Barafu route, some people way down there, either coming or going.

I arrive at summit by myself, maybe 6 or 8 minutes ahead of Chris and Peter. Alone at the top! It's about 8:20am, not a soul in sight. Next to the "welcome" sign is a square rock, maybe a foot high. I stand up on it, and am the highest person on the African continent, plus 12 inches. Chris and Peter arrive and we take pictures. Temperature must be up to 25 or 30 F, strong sun and some gusty, but not steady, wind. 19,340 feet above sea level. I notice that my ears are ringing. Can see the ash pit inside the lava dome in the crater. General view down to the plains is hazy and cloudy. At the top for only 10 minutes or so. As we start down, Peter kicks around in the snow and hands Chris and I a piece of lava rock, about the right size for a paperweight. Although we are not supposed to remove anything from inside the National Park, we both pocket our chunk.

Very tired and motivated to get down; seems long way back to Gilman's Point. Get over the lip and start down to Kibo Hut a few minutes ahead of Chris and Peter. Water is about gone. Hut doesn't seem that far away, but after an hour of going straight down, still seems the same distance. Sun is intense. Become very upset that "they" expect us to do this distance, my thinking is not very logical at this elevation. Maybe 2 ½ hours down, endless walk. Kurt and Dan meet me outside the hut. I am in serious need of water and or juice. Cannot see Chris and Peter behind me. One of the porters gives me a bottle of pineapple juice, but it's too sweet to stomach.

Cannot believe we still have to descend to Horombo Hut this afternoon. Exhausted. I go to the bunk and lay down for 25 minutes or so, until Chris arrives. Peter gives us about 30 minutes to rest and pack up. Kurt, Dan, and the porters leave ahead of us. We still have 3 hours of descent to go. Must get down to Horombo Hut at 12,200 feet to spend the night. Others are moving into our room on their way up the mountain so we have to clear out. Hit the trail about 12:30 or so. Chris and I set a good brisk pace and feel much better after we warm up.

Cross the barren saddle and down into the moors. Foot sore and ready to sleep, it's much further than the route markers and maps indicate. Realize that tomorrow night should see us in a hotel with hot showers. We arrive to find we are once again in a four-person hut and ready to sleep; last night on the mountain.

Day Ten, Back to Marangu Gate, 2/19/02

Up and on down the trail. Tonight will be hot shower and real bed. Comfortable walk, all downhill from here, although feet a little sore. We pass many groups on their way up the mountain. There seems to be a psychological pattern at work. Groups bunch up in tight crowd to a ridiculous degree. Some are in two files, shoulder to shoulder with only 5 or 6 inches from their nose to the backpack ahead of them. Probably is a reaction to fear or uncertainty. Act like they've never been in "the woods" before. Perhaps they haven't

When we reach Mandara hut on the way down, we'll have lunch and be expected to pass out tips to the crew. A book I read said if a porter has one trip per month, he'll make about the same annual salary as a local schoolteacher.

We get into Mandara for lunch and everyone lines up for tips. I pass out the envelopes and we get an embrace from each of the crew. I have an opportunity to visit my old friend Bosco McShane.

We start the last leg of our trek, back to the gate at park headquarters. Can't wait to get hot bath tonight. Feet are sore. I meet a group coming up the mountain in tight formation, shoulder to shoulder and six inches apart. Looks absolutely ridiculous. I step to the side to let this centipede like formation pass, and sensing they may speak English, I pop off a smart alec remark. "Hey, if you guys can get just a little closer together, you can avoid seeing ANY of Africa." They smile mutely as they motor past in lock step.

Feet are sore as we pound them down hill. Finally, I get to the gate, headquarters, and the end of the trail. I'm the first here. The snack bar beckons and while I fumble for the correct currency another American buys me a coke. He has had trouble with the altitude and has had to leave his team and come down the mountain. He now has to kill three days waiting on them. Dan later tells me that he had talked to him earlier, and that the guy has only one lung! No wonder he had to come down.

I sit out front of the snack bar and nurse my coke, as the rest of the team dribble in. In addition to the local currency, only American dollars are acceptable here, even the Europeans have to come with yankee greenbacks. Back in the shop to look at books, postcards, etc I see the Big Blonde German is trying to buy a coke and candy bar with a $50 bill, which is too big for the clerk to accept. I step over and pay for it with left over Tanzanian shillings. She is happy with that and offers me half her candy bar, which I refuse. I don't tell her that we've had her under surveillance for a week.

We fight off a few of the last souvenir hawkers and load up the van for our drive to Arusha and a real hotel. This will be our last night together as a team. Kurt will be leaving us tomorrow to go on a three-day safari to Ngorongoro Crater. We all meet for pre-supper beers and then have a nice meal. We seem to be the only people in the place. I go to bed first, after only 1 liter of Tusker Beer. I hear later that Kurt was on his 5th liter.

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